Ack! Who picked up the surplus Rollerball unis?

Why must the NFL mess with the classic look of their referees' uniforms?


From TSN:

Making a fashion statement was not the primary motivation behind the decision to make the change, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. First was the desire for a lightweight, more efficient fabric that would be cooler in hot weather and warmer in cold weather.

"The material of our shirts was very heavy, so everybody wanted a different material," said 18-year-veteran referee Walt Coleman. "Everybody loves the material, and the shirts are really comfortable. I think everybody's just not totally sold on the style. My son said to me, `I can't believe you're changing your shirts."'

The second aim was to make the uniforms more easily accommodate the gear referees need to carry, Aiello said, which includes more layers of clothing in colder weather.

"The biggest reason we changed was to upgrade the performance quality of the uniform," he said. "The third reason was to give the uniforms a more modern, updated, distinctly NFL look."

Referees will wear the new shirts and the traditional white knickers for most games, and will switch in cold weather to black full-length pants that will allow more room for additional layers.